Back
Back to stories
Hello George, what are you up to today?
I'm sat on a train heading from Brighton to Victoria, the sun is shining and there are lots of kids on their way to Bestival. It's fair to say I'm a little bit jealous.
With such a busy schedule, when do you get the time to listen to music? And what are you listening to at the moment?
Music is consistent in my life, if it's not a playlist that somebody has put on backstage, it’s a favourite album of mine in my headphones. When I'm on tour I fall into listening to lots of music that reminds me of home. Albums I know inside out. We recently played three shows in South Africa and the support acts were fantastic. Beatenberg were one of those acts and I can't recommend their album enough.
Why music? Why not orienteering, fine art, or being a maths teacher?
Music was a good excuse to mess about when I was a teenager. At 14 it was a tool to burn energy and lark about I guess. When I turned 16 I gained a genuine love and passion for it. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to perform as a job. But music in any capacity would suit me.
What’s been your favourite live gig you’ve played and why?
This is an impossible question to answer! If ever I watch back over performances I notice that I'm grinning like a madman. It's genuine though. I love being on stage. One that stands out is playing the pyramid stage at Glastonbury. I'm still not sure how that happened. It's the first time in my life I could describe something as euphoric.
If you could make a completely different type of music, what would it be?
My favourite instrument is the cello. If I could play the cello I'd dive into any gig I could get my hands on. It's a beautiful sound!
"I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to perform as a job. But music in any capacity would suit me."
What are your thoughts around the way in which people listen to music these days; Streaming services, compressed MP3s, hi – res music etc…
That’s a hard one. On one hand it's amazing that music is so readily available. Streaming is a new thing and still has a few things that need ironing out. But it's something I take for granted like the rest of us. Personally, to be able to hear music as the artist and producer intended, without the compression is an amazing thing.
What’s currently your favourite track to perform?
Barcelona has been my favourite to play for a long time. The band is each doing their thing and it makes me so happy to hear. A warm feeling!
When you come off stage after a gig, what’s the first thing you want to do?
A) Have a G&T
B) Sit in a silent room and think deep thoughts
C) Run back on stage for another song
I'm quiet after a performance. It's strange. I achieve a feeling on stage that is extremely hard to achieve post show. I slow down and take it easy. I don't often try to reproduce it.
Thank you Mr Ezra, as you were!
